STATE GAME RESERVE VITINIYA - The beginning of the organised farm activity on the territory of nowadays State Game Reserve Vitiniya came into effect in 1959 when the training/experimental forest farm was made into a hunting area with a total of 509.4 hectares of land. The reserve which is situated 40km North-East of Sofia in the western part of the Balkan mountain range is surrounded by magnificent beech, oak and pine forests. It is located among magnificent beech forests and mixed deciduous and coniferous trees. The main line of communications between northern and southern part of Bulgaria, "Hemus" highway, passes through the territory of the Station. The relief is distinctively mountainous and is a complex system of ridges and gullies in different directions. The numerous steep slopes account for the significant differences in altitude. Lodging is available in the form of hunting houses, hunting huts and hunting bungalows. In 1967, the territory of the reserve was enlarged and transferred into representative hunting area called Murgash. With the decision of the Council of Ministers in 1976, it was made into a company whose main activity was hunting. It lasted this way until 1991 when the State hunting farms were closed. In 2001, according to the order of the Ministry, it was transferred into a farm for breeding and hunting game. Presently, the territory is 9963.5 hectares of land. The main subject of activity of the reserve Vitiniya is that of preserving and enriching the game, building hunting facilities, executing biotechnical activities like reproduction, spreading, preserving and guarding the game as well as organising hunting expeditions. The activities also include usage reproduction and preservation of the forests in and around its boundaries. The territory of the reserve is inhabited by almost all types of large game in Bulgaria like red deer, wild boar, wild pig, roe deer, mouflon, wolf, fox and wildcat as well as pheasant, rock partridge and woodpigeon. The fishing includes rainbow trout, carp and grass carp. In addition there are guided tours and horseback riding to tempt the guests at "Vitiniya". Here you can also find the only population of Tibetan Yak in the country.